The Sprout

Cumnor Bear cub in action!

The newsletter for North Hinksey & Botley

Issue 138 June 2019

The Sprout

Issue 138, June 2019

Contents

3 Community Land Trust –

getting there!

5 Believing in our future –

the XR experience

9 Parish Council Elections

11 Being a Scout

13 Cumnor Cricket

17 Just Being – Art exhibition

19 Caretaker needed at Louie

Memorial Fields

21 2nd Botley Brownies

23 PPG Improving the patient

experience

25 Lunch Club

27 Police News

29 Randoms

39 Local Organizations

From the Editor,

What’s been happening in Botley? We have a new parish council (p9 for

details), and the genuinely affordable homes proposed in Dean Court have

come a step closer to reality (p3). To qualify, you will need to be on the Vale

Housing Register – but don’t worry, there’s still time to apply. It’s the

cricket season, and England will be hosting the World Cricket Cup. Cumnor

Cricket Club invite us all to come and celebrate this momentous occasion

(p13) for which they are putting on several different events over the

weekend of 7–9th June. CCC have rebranded themselves, striking out with

a new logo and a new image as Cumnor Bears. Their thriving Youth Section

would welcome more players, like the young one on our cover. The Climate

Emergency continues to worry us – school children and some parents are

out on strike again as I write, and on page 5 you will find an account of a

local mother’s day In London with Extinction Rebellion at Easter. For those

given a taste for art by the local Artweeks, Botley Arts has an exhibition at

Ss P&P church (p17) while in Randoms (p29) you will find quite a number

of different summer events to tempt you out.

Ag MacKeith

More news from Oxfordshire Community Land Trust

about the proposed flats in Dean Court

Things are progressing well with Oxfordshire Community Land Trust’s

plans to build 8 flats on backland off Eynsham Road :

– hope to hear about that in June sometime, so fingers firmly

crossed for that.

– We’ve decided to apply to register as a housing association which

will strengthen our organization and enable us to access funds

– We’ve started planning a community share offer which will be

launched later in the year. We are already collecting names of

those interested in investing and some Sprout readers have

already been in touch. We are hoping that the local community

will want to invest as well as the wider community.

These flats are for people on the Vale’s housing register who can also

show a strong local connection (through work, residence or family) and

who wish to have some involvement in working with fellow tenants to keep

things running smoothly. Please be aware that the flats are ONLY for

eligible applicants on the housing register who are nominated by the

District Council. If you have an interest and you’re not on the housing

There is lots to do right now. We’d also welcome more members

www.oclt.org.uk/invest and we’re always on the look out for new directors

with a passion for using this model to deliver community owned,

permanently affordable, housing. We’d particularly welcome new

directors with a legal or finance background or both.

Fran Ryan, Director CLT

Believing in our Future

On Easter Sunday, my partner, my 6-year-old son and I set off from our

home in Cedar Road to catch the train to London with the intention of

joining Extinction Rebellion (XR) at their base camp at Marble Arch. As

we sat on the train looking out the window at the passing fields, I started

to reflect on why I’d make the decision to join the protest. It was

something I hadn’t done before, despite always feeling supportive of

anyone taking action against climate change, but I knew I felt very

strongly about this and had to go and see what was happening for myself.

It was seeing the youth school strikers march past my window at work

every Friday that had inspired me to become actively involved in

researching XR’s work on this issue. Then, in April, I got a leaflet through

my door inviting me to their open meeting in the city centre. My partner

and I headed down to the Wesley Memorial Church and saw streams of

people heading inside. The church was packed.

One of the speakers was a climate change scientist. The enormity of the

scientific evidence to support the declaration of a Climate Emergency

was totally overwhelming. I had

arrived thinking I would be able to

just immediately accept the reality of

what was happening; I left feeling

like I had the whole weight of saving

the world on my shoulders.

There was one phrase, though,

which stuck with me from one of the

talks ‘When I started to try and do

something about it, I felt better’.

Having failed to get time off to go to

London in the week, I followed the

media coverage hoping the protests

would run into the holiday weekend

– and they did! We decided to cut

short a planned weekend away and

travel back to London to show our

support. The atmosphere at Marble

Arch was very particular. It was

intensely respectful, polite and

relaxed and there wasn’t even a tiny

piece of litter on the ground within the

camp area. It was easy to strike up

conversations with people if you

wanted to, but overall it was just a

wonderful calm feeling of being

surrounded by hundreds of people

who strongly believed in the future of

the planet.

My son was a bit confused about the

set-up, as it looked a bit like a fair

with no obvious ‘fun’. After a while he

got into the swing of things (photo

shows he found something fun to do

after all!) and was very interested to

see Greta Thunberg speak:

someone clearly still young and yet

everyone clapping and cheering her

words. Our trip to London had prompted me the day before to start talking

about climate change with him. I gave him hopeful messages about the

power of positive and peaceful action to create change in the world. Since

then he has been intensely keen to encourage wildlife, turn off lights and

drive less.

Extinction Rebellion have done amazing things in getting the U.K.

government to declare a Climate Emergency. I feel more hopeful than I

have in a long time, but of course their work is not done and there is a

whole world out there which also needs to step up to ensuring we all have

a future on this planet. That’s why I’m joining them for good and will

continue to support and show up when I’m needed. I heard that Oxford is

going to appoint a citizens’ assembly to help create its environmental

policies and that’s a great step. I’d like to see this actually happen and for

the same thing be put in place across the country. On a larger scale, I’d

say the government needs to start putting all its time and energy into

sustainable organic farming, developing greener driving and energy

technologies and making sure that we reduce carbon emissions to zero

as soon as possible. I don’t know if this will happen, but XR are certainly

trying to make sure it does. Lorna Burchell

Parish Council

The following lists the members of the new Parish Council, showing the

votes cast.

Ag MacKeith 841

Lorna Berrett 817

Judi Bolder 778

Caroline Potter 778

Chris Church 739

David Kay 662

Ann Dykes 661

Darren Blase 653

Adam Rankin 589

Laura Jones 567

Alistair Bastin 551

Martin Dowie 520

Pauline Allen 505

Graham Fairclough 505

Not Elected

Stephen Elliott 500; Andrew Pritchard 475; John Alwyne Marriott 412

Chris Hall 406; Maurice O’Donoghue 347; Erica Davis 341;

Nima Gholami Babaamadi 224; Esmail Gholami Babaamadi 176

At the first NHPC meeting on 9th May, the following committee chairs were

elected: Planning – Adam Rankin, Recreation and Amenities – Caroline

Potter, Communications – Lorna Berrett, Allotments – Ag MacKeith

David Kay and Chris Church will take on the Expressway.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

District Council

And our new District Councillors are:

Debby Hallett (Lib-Dem) 1521 Emily Smith (Lib Dem) 1387

23 Sycamore Road, OX2 9EJ 4 Sycamore Road, OX2 9EJ

cllr.debby.hallett@gmail.com emily.smith@whitehorsedc.gov.u

Being a Scout

My name is Rory and I’ve been in the 4th Oxford Scout Group since the

age of 7; I’m now 11. At Scouts we learn many different life skills such as:

fire-lighting, knot-tying, cooking, and various others. Being a Scout

myself, I feel that it is all great fun. I’m sure I can speak for our Beavers,

Cubs and Explorers as well.

In my time of scouting I

have done all sorts of

activities, like ice-skating,

cooking and swimming –

which I have improved on

massively, as Scouts

have helped me

progress. I have been on

all sorts of different

camps with everyone,

which are always full of

exciting outdoors

activities, like zip-lining,

orienteering, kayaking and rifle-shooting. We are always tired out by the

end of it all, partly because we’ve done so much, and partly because we

stay up too late!

Recently I went on a sponsored 18-mile hike with our scouting community

and although it was tiring, it was also hugely rewarding – and I had a lot

of fun doing it. My family raised over £200 in sponsorship money which

will go towards buying more equipment for our activities. I’m not a

member of any sports team, so Scouting gives me the chance to mix with

other children my age. We all share similar interests and enjoy spending

time together as a Scout. Rory Charlton

Cumnor Cricket Club

– lots going on!

Cumnor Cricket Club have had

a busy winter, evolving into

Cumnor Bears. The new branding recognises the significance of our

history and prepares us for an exciting future. Our values as a club centre

around family, passion and ambition which we feel are embodied in the

Cumnor Bears.

We have a thriving young players programme with over seventy All Stars

(5-8yrs) learning the basics of cricket on Friday evenings. We also have

140 other youngsters (8–17yrs) training on Wednesdays. Our first-class

coaching team for our juniors teaches not only the skills required but also

that playing with the right spirit is just as important as the results.

Our Kwiks (under 9s) were Oxfordshire champions last year. This

talented group of youngsters have had a strong start to the season

winning their first two matches. We are fielding two Under 11 teams both

of whom have tasted victory and defeat this year. Our two U13 teams

have had a frustrating time with other clubs struggling to raise sides to

play us. The U15s have played two matches and won both by a large

margin. This bunch of talented players are hopeful that they will get to

their final on 7th July. Our U17s side start their matches after the GCSE

exams are over, but are already looking forward to a competitive season.

Our adult section, with over fifty members, puts out three sides in league

cricket each Saturday and also a fourth team playing friendly fixtures on

Sunday afternoons. Our First XI play in the 1st Division of the Cherwell

League, opening this season with a win. They are also through to the

Oxfordshire semi-final of the National Village Knockout Cup. Our 2nd XI

play in Cherwell League Division 5, and our 3rds in Division 9. We are

hopeful of strong results from all our teams and promotions are in the air.

If you and your family want to get fit, play cricket at any level or simply

enjoy our clubhouse and grounds, the Cumnor Bears are sure to give you

a big welcome. David Clapton

A note from the Chairman of Cumnor Cricket Club:

Be part of the Cricket World Cup Everyone is invited to help us

celebrate the Cricket World Cup taking place in England and Wales this

year. Cumnor Cricket Club is hosting an open family weekend on June

7–9th at the Park Field ground in Cumnor. This is a nationwide event

organised by the ECB to engage 1 million adults and children to ‘be part

of the World’s Greatest Cricket Celebration.’

Friday 7th June – 6.30pm If you are aged 6 to 11 come along and join

in the Bears’ very own version of the World Cup tournament. It doesn’t

matter if you have never played cricket before, you can still join in these

fun 6-a-side softball games. Bring your Mum and Dad along too, they can

play as well! If you don’t want to play, come along and watch. There will

other games to enjoy, a BBQ and, for your parents, the bar will be open

all evening.

Saturday 8th June – 12.30pm Our 1st team are playing a Cherwell

League match. Everyone is invited to come and watch. Bring a picnic, the

bar will be open all afternoon.

Saturday 8th June – 8pm We are holding a Cricket World Cup Quiz in

our clubhouse. Prizes include a £50 meat voucher, courtesy of Michael

Cain and Son. Entry is £2 per person with a maximum team size of 5.

There will be hot food available for purchase. Don’t worry if you are not a

cricket expert, there will be plenty of general rounds too. All proceeds

from the quiz will be donated to our chosen charity, Opening Up Cricket

who promote mental wellbeing.

Sunday 9th June We are hosting the Vale District Kwik Cricket

Competition from 9.30am, and there will be a bake sale with delicious

treats to devour as well as stalls selling cricket equipment, clothing and

Cumnor Bears merchandise. There will be a BBQ from around noon.

Everyone is invited to come and watch our very own ‘Cumnor World Cup’

which will be a 6-a-side hardball tournament from 1.00pm. Bring your

picnic blanket and enjoy the festivities.

Ken Mannering, Cumnor Cricket Club Chairman

Just Being: People and Places

Botley Arts is proud to present this wonderful exhibition by the Wallis

mother and daughter, which is showing until mid July. Here’s what they

say about their work.

Barbara Wallis: After many years of

drawing and painting intermittently, I’ve been

concentrating on abstract work, starting with

close observation, whether in the studio or

out in the landscape, then developing the

content in a more spontaneous way. It’s

fascinating how certain shapes or colours

seep into the brain and emerge in a piece

almost unconsciously. In getting to this point

I’ve been hugely fortunate to work with some

excellent tutors in Oxford, at Sunningwell

School of Art, and more recently in Kendal,

Cumbria. My daughter Catherine and I

chose our exhibition title ‘Just Being’ for a number of reasons. For both

of us, immersion in drawing and painting makes time irrelevant, in a

beautifully pliable, focused, yet meditative way. Just being with the

subject, and responding as feels right at the time, is definitely a skill to

practise. We are both actively cultivating our own permission to be just

whatever we are now, as artists.

I can be contacted at barbarawallis66@gmail.com.

Catherine Wallis: Recently I’ve come to

understand the essential role of the arts for my

own wellbeing and understanding of myself.

In 2017 my mum recommended a tutored

short course in life drawing here in Oxford and

in the last year I’ve been attending classes

fairly regularly. Through drawing people I’ve

rediscovered the joy of making art, but it

appeals to me on further levels. There’s a

potent simplicity to human connection. I always leave a life class feeling

more human – I can’t find a better reason to keep drawing than that. I’m

so grateful for the opportunity to show some of my sketches as I start out,

and proud to be displaying them alongside my mum’s pieces.

NORTH HINKSEY PARISH COUNCIL

Part-time Caretaker for the Louie Memorial

Pavilion and Playing Fields in Arnolds Way

The Parish Council is looking to appoint a new part-time

caretaker, at a gross salary of £248.88p a month for an

average of 24 hours a month over the year. The actual

hours worked will fluctuate between summer and winter.

The pavilion is run by a management committee and the

caretaker’s work will involve liaising and working with them.

The main duties of the post include:

 Line marking of the football pitch

 Checking the Pavilion and undertaking any minor

maintenance work, safety checks, etc

 Arranging statutory building checks e.g. fire extinguishers,

electrical certificates

 Maintaining the main hall, kitchen, changing rooms and

showers.

 Cleaning MUGA and Children’s Shelter area to remove litter

etc.

 General maintenance of the Trim Trail equipment.

 Strimming long grass near the Pavillion, MUGA and car park

 Litter Picking as necessary in both playing fields and

checking for any safety hazards

 Weekly play equipment Safety Checks (Training will be

given)

 Undertaking the specified weekly, monthly and annual

maintenance checks on the defibrillator cabinet

 Lime Road Bus Shelter – Clean out once a week

 Other reasonable duties as requested by the Parish Council

Please apply in writing to the Parish Clerk by email:

clerk@northhinksey-pc.gov.uk or by post to 29 Long Close,

Botley, Oxford, OX2 9SG

Closing date for applications: Monday 10 June 2019

Catriona Gets a Gong

Girlguiding Oxfordshire offered us a

special afternoon tea at Eynsham Hall to

thank us volunteers for all our hard work.

This was such a rare treat that we at 2nd

Botley decided it was time to clear the

diaries and make sure we could all

attend. Eventually the day dawned and

arriving at the venue Brown Owl nearly

got swept into wedding photographs

when a photographer took some

convincing that she wasn’t with the

wedding party. (That would have caused

some puzzlement when leafing through

the photographs later). The rest of us arrived without any tale to tell and

whilst we were waiting to be allowed into our dining room there was a

rolling projection of photographs from the last year’s Girlguiding activities

that have been on offer throughout our county. What a varied programme

has been on offer – both inside and outside activities – something for all.

It was great to catch up with Guiders from all over the county who some

of us have known since we were Guides ourselves and who are probably

the reason why we still do it today.

Having ensured that our departing District Commissioner (our boss),

Catriona, would be in attendance, the District ordered her a lovely vase.

Then, before the tea and awards started we lulled her into a false sense

of security by presenting it to thank her for all her terms of office. Little

did she know that some of us had also been liaising for some months with

the awards committee on her behalf, and so she was completely shocked

when the County Commissioner (her boss) read out the citation for the

Girlguiding Oxfordshire Lozenge badge, followed by her name “in

recognition of her continued outstanding support to Girlguiding especially

in Oxfordshire”. (See photo above.)

The citation ended, “her support extends to enabling young members to

attend special camps and holidays, fundraising to support those less able

to afford them” which reminds me that as a parting gift she planned, and

then handed over to her successor, the Summer Fete on Saturday, 15th

June at Louie Memorial Playing Fields to raise funds for a December

residential for all Rainbows, Brownies and Guides who attend Girlguiding

in the local parishes. Lucy Howes

Improving the Patient Experience

There will be a meeting of the Botley Medical Centre Patient Participation

Group on 19 June to discuss the results of a survey by the NHS and

recent Care Quality Commission visits to the practice, as well as

suggestions from patients. All patients of Botley Medical Centre and

Kennington Health Centre are welcome to attend. Whether you attend

or not, it would be helpful to receive your suggestions in advance of the

meeting. Please send them to me at grantn@ntlworld.com.

Who we are: The Patient Participation Group consists of volunteers who

are registered patients of the practice.

What are our main aims: to promote the well-being of patients and to

facilitate positive and effective two-way communication between the

practice and its patients.

When and where is the meeting: on Wednesday 19th June at 6 pm at

the Botley Medical Centre, Elms Road, OX2 9JS

Grant Nightingale, for Botley Medical Centre Patient Participation Group

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

LOCAL PLANNING APPLICATIONS

P19/V0936/HH

3 Yarnells Hill. Remove

conservatory. Single storey rear

extension and first floor rear/side

extension.

15 April

TDD: 10 June

P19/V0928/FUL

The Chestnuts Harcourt Hill. Erect

one new self-build detached house

on land to the side of the property.

17 April

TDD: 12 June

P18/V3150/DIS

Ferry Cottage 7 North Hinksey Lane.

Discharge of conditions. Internally

renovate out-building, install solar

panels, new entrance gates, new

cricket practice nets.

18 April

Target

Decision Date

30 May

P19/V1015/A

Midland House West Way. Wall

mounted, halo illuminated, company

name and logo.

30 April

TDD: 25 June

P19/V1066/HH

17 Hutchcomb Road. Roof convert to

provide bedroom & en-suite

bathroom. Change roof to gable.

1 May

TDD: 26 June

P19/V1052/HH

35 Montagu Road. Remove

conservatory, erect single storey rear

extension, extend patio.

2 May

TDD: 26 June

Under-twenties meet over-sixties

Amelie, Evie, Paige, Phoebe and Rachel who are Volunteers at Branches

came to help with the Easter lunch party at Botley Over 60s Lunch Club

on 18 April. Branches is a social enterprise working with young people,

based on the first floor of Elms Court opposite the Co-op. Lunch Club

caters fortnightly for about forty people over the age of 60 in the current

Seacourt Hall facilities above the Co-op. This was a great opportunity to

show collaboration between the generations with a view to jointly

providing a freshly cooked meal and a chance to chat for older people in

our local community.

The young volunteers are students at either Matthew Arnold or

Bartholomew Schools and came to Branches via recommendation or the

Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme. They get experience in cooking,

serving, food hygiene and nutrition under the expert guidance of the

Branches Chef and café team. Like all experiences, some bits are better

than others and they

enjoy making and tasting

their creations,

particularly the

milkshakes – but then

there is always the

clearing up.

Dave Goodspeed,

Director of Branches said

“Our ‘Young Leaders’

work really hard at their

volunteering and produce

some really good food,

some of the baking they have done has been to a really high standard.

They certainly worked impressively hard at the Lunch Club and can be

seen decorating over 60 Easter cup-cakes with Dave and Lunch Club

organisers, Jackie Warner and Viv Smith. They also served all the

lunches and puddings – carefully serving from the left and clearing from

the right (most Lunch Club volunteers learned something that day!) and

then efficiently cleaned down all the tables.

The Branches girls were a great help to our regular Lunch Club

volunteers, real fun to work with and three of them even stayed to eat

lunch with us afterwards. We wish them all every success with their future

careers, whether in catering or elsewhere. Janet Bartlam

Police News

On the morning of 12th May a man with a crowbar was spotted in the

back garden of a house on Cumnor Hill near to the Oxford Road junction.

Realizing he’d been seen, he made off over the fields towards Cumnor.

Witness described a dark skinned male, wearing a black leather jacket,

torn black jeans, light blue Converse shoes and a red and yellow bobble

hat, with a tattoo on the back of one of his hands.

On the afternoon of May 9th, around 4.50pm, a house was burgled

towards the top end of Cumnor Hill near Colegrove Down. Two male

offenders, described as ‘either Asian or olive skinned’ and both slight of

build, forced entry into a conservatory where they took high spec bikes

before being disturbed by the occupant.

At a school in the Botley and Cumnor area, an unknown person was seen

to padlock the main gate shut late one evening. Their motivation is as yet

unknown but is suspected to be some sort of prank. Fortunately, school

staff noticed in time and removed the lock resulting in only minor

inconvenience and disruption. We encourage residents to report any

suspicious activity especially around schools.

Someone tried to break into a building site on Arnolds Way on the night

of 16th–17th April. We understand that building sites often have lots of

comings and goings, but if you live near them or go past them please

keep an eye out for any activity outside of normal working hours and call

999 if you deem it suspicious, or 101 if in any doubt.

Over the last month there have been a string of “Vamoose Burglaries”

(breaking into houses specifically to steal cars with keys) in neighbouring

areas. We would like to urge residents to keep doors and windows locked

when not in use and to ensure car keys are kept out of reach and

preferably out of sight. It’s possible your keyless car card could be hacked

from outside the house, so – if you must put it by the front door – keep it

in a metal box lined with foil to baffle the signals.

The next local ‘Have your Say’ meeting will be in Dean Court Community

Centre on Saturday 8th June between 2 and 4pm.

If you have any information regarding the above incidents please call 101

or Crimestoppers. You can always contact me by email via

Adrian.Wright@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk

PCSO Adrian Wright

Randoms

Coming up at Botley Library

Friday 7th June, 5.30–6pm. Join us for a Pyjamarama Storytime to

celebrate National Bookstart Week. Why not come in your pyjamas and

bring Teddy? Open to children of all ages. No need to book.

Tuesday 11th June, 11–11.30am. Rhymetime. Today is ‘Empathy Day’.

The Empathy Lab are encouraging us to read – because stories and book

characters build our real-life empathy; connect – make new connections

with people inspired by sharing stories; do – put empathy into action in

homes and communities. Aimed at under 3s. No need to book.

Tuesday 25th June, 11– 11.30am. Rhymetime. At today’s session we

will have a representative of the Community Dental Service who will talk

to us about brushing, sugar and oral health. Aimed at under 3s. No need

to book.

Can you help our local guide group?

3rd West Oxford Guides meets on Tuesdays 7.00– 8.30pm at Dean Court

Community Centre. We are looking for volunteers to help out at meetings.

The Guides are girls age 10–14 and it is a small group. Maybe you

enjoyed going to Guides yourself years ago and now can give something

back ? Or maybe you are new to Guiding but interested in helping young

people spend time constructively? Please think about helping us. To find

out more, contact Elaine by email on 3rdwestoxfordguides@gmail.com

Art Weeks at the Louie Memorial Pavilion 4–5th May 2019

Thanks to all those who contributed artwork, made cakes, volunteered

and visited the 2nd community art exhibition at the Pavilion. We enjoyed

hosting again this year and being part of the West Oxford and Botley Art

Weeks trail (sponsored by The Sprout). Hope you caught some of the

exhibitors in their own homes and studios as well. We may do it again

next year if there is interest and support from the community and artists.

Catherine, Claire and the Louie Memorial Committee

Could you adopt with PACT?

Adoption charity Parents And Children Together (PACT) is now holding

regular events in Oxfordshire for anyone interested in finding out more

about adoption. The next one is on Thursday 6th June, 6.30–8pm.

These events are led by a PACT social worker and will include a talk from

someone who has adopted through PACT. Come along to ask questions

and find out more. PACT specialises in finding secure and loving homes

for children in most urgent need, who often face the longest wait. There

are currently 2000 children looking for families. Couples or single people

from all backgrounds are welcomed as adopters, including those of black

and minority ethnic heritage and from the lesbian, gay, bisexual and

transgender community, and we will support adoptive families for life.

Information events are free to attend but you will need to book. You can

do this by calling 0300 456 4800 or emailing enquiries@pactcharity.org

when full details of the event venue will be provided.

Friends of Raleigh Park

The Friends’ AGM will be on Thursday 13th June, at 7:30pm in the

Pavilion, Arnold's Way, and will include a talk by Linda Losito on 'Beetles

birds and mammals: how dung supports the living world' To find out more,

see our website www.raleighpark.org.uk

Stephen Parkinson Chair, Friends of Raleigh Park

Coming up on 7th July

– Sprout AGM

This year’s AGM will be held in

Branches café at 3pm on the first

Sunday in July. Tea and cakes

optional. It’s your chance to tell us

what you’d like to see in the Sprout,

to make contact with the people

who make it happen and to find out

about the accounts. Do come if you

can – everybody welcome,

especially our deliverers, especially

if they come with ideas!

Looking for Young Leaders

Summer is coming to Branches and

we are changing up our menu.

Whilst keeping some old favourites

we are now offering a range of

burgers and grilled sandwiches served with fries or salad and some

delicious sweet treats. We hope you’ll come and try them.

Our Young Leaders have been busy as ever serving their young

customers in the youth sessions after school and helping prepare food

for our platters. Some of them really enjoyed helping at the seniors’ lunch

club, an opportunity we have been trying to organize for a while, waiting

for the lunch club weeks to coincide with school holidays.

Our first group of Young Leaders ‘graduated’ at Easter after completing

their six months of volunteering. As well as their time serving, cooking

and organising activities in Branches, they can be particularly proud of

the work they did on the Pre-Christmas Feast, the Burns Supper and the

Mad Hatter’s Tea Party. Their last hurrah was to help organise and run

the (bravely early) community barbecue in April at the Louie Memorial

Pavilion, where they received certificates in front of their friends and

customers.

This means we have space for some more young leaders so if anyone

still has their DoE skills or volunteering elements to do, or just wants to

be involved with our innovative project, Branches would be pleased to

see you. We would also like to welcome some new adult volunteers to

the team. If you have some spare time and would like to learn or share

some skills during the day or during youth sessions, come and speak to

Dave or Diane at Branches, we would love to welcome you to our team,

any training needed will be provided.

Dave Goodspeed

Botley Bridges – help with under-fives

A great new 4-week Family Links parenting course is coming up, especially

suitable for families with children aged 0-5 years. This will take place over 4

Wednesday evenings (7.30-9.30pm) at Botley Branches Cafe (opposite the

Co-op) from the end of June. Just £20 per person. For more information, or

to reserve your limited space, please email coordinator@botleybridges.org

Photo competition

There’s still time to enter your photographs of Botley and North Hinksey

in a competition being run by the Parish Council to find new images for

the website:www.northhinksey-pc.gov.uk

Photographs need to work in a landscape “letterbox” style format – see

example of the current website image. Entries will appear on the NHPC

Facebook page www.facebook.com/northhinkseypc so that you can vote

for your favourites. Winners will be notified and announced on the

website, Facebook and in a future edition of the Sprout. Please send your

photos to the Parish Clerk at clerk@northhinksey-pc.gov.uk

Free Family fun at Hill End Camp

Admin at Hill End camp have asked us to spread the word about the

ffennell Festival at Hill End between 11am and 4pm on 15th June. There

will be nature walks and trails, family bushcraft, music from local bands,

a barbecue, ice cream, free parking. Bring the whole family for a low tech

day out. But no dogs at Hill End, so leave the family pet behind.

.Organizations: If your organization is not listed here, please send details

to editor@thesprout.org.uk or telephone 724452 for inclusion.

1st Botley Brownies

Girls aged 7–10

Dean Court Community Centre Thur 6–7.30 Fiona

Wheeler, firstbotleybrownies@gmail.com

2nd Botley Brownies

Girls aged 7–10

Rosary Room, Yarnells Hill. Tues 6:15-7:45 Alison

Griffin 2ndbotleybrownies@outlook.com

4th Oxford Scout Group

Beavers, Cub Scouts, Scouts

Scout Hall, Arnolds Way; mail@thefourth.org.uk

Website: http://www.thefourth.org.uk/

15th Oxford Scout Group

Boys and girls welcome

Meet Fridays, Botley Baptist Hall Contact: Julie Tatham

01865 863074 or Amy Cusden 07887 654386

Baby & Toddler Group

Tues/Thurs 9.15–11, SS Peter & Paul Church Hall

Badminton Club

Thurs 7-8pm at Matthew Arnold Sports Hall. Garry Clark

0777 3559 314 garryclark13@gmail.com

Books on Wheels R.V.S.

Free Library Service for housebound Ox. 248142

Botley Boys & Girls F.C.

Football teams from ages 8-16

Jason Barley Ox. 242926 jbarley1@sky.com or Brendan

Byrne 792531 brendan.byrne999@gmail.com

Botley Health Walks

Wednesday 9.30 a.m Contact: Briony 246497

Botley Library

01865 248142. Open till 7 on Friday and 1pm on Sat,

otherwise 9.30 to 5.30 (closed Wednesdays).

Botley Singers

Thur 7.30, St Andrew’s Church, Dean Court. Angela

Astley-Penny Ox.242189 angastpen@aol.com

Branches Café, Westway

Place, Open to All 8am-3pm,

Open for young people 3-5 daily, Th. eves 7–9

Tel:01865 251115 www.branchesyouth.uk Facebook

Branches Youth Cafe, Instagram @_branches_youth

Community Fridge

For all. Put food in, take food out. Ss P&P church, Mon–

Sat 9–5, Sun 11–5. Riki Therivel 07759 135811

Cumnor Choral Society

Rehearsals Friday 7.45 to 9.45 pm John May 07795

054142 or www.cumnorchoralsociety.wordpress.com

Cumnor Chess Club

Thurs 7–9pm Cumnor Old School. Steven Bennett

862788 www.cumnorchessclub.co.uk

Cumnor & District Historical

Society

Last Monday of the month 7.30-9.00 Cumnor Old School.

01865 724808

Cumnor Gardening Club

Details on website at http://cumnorgardens.org.uk/ or

phone Chris Impey, 01865 721026

Harmony InSpires, Ladies'

Acappella Singing Group

Wed 7.30 at Appleton village hall. C. Casson 01235

831352 or harmonyinspires@hotmail.co.uk

Hill End Volunteer Team

Contact admin@hill-end.org, call 01865 863510 or visit

www.hill-end.org

Let’s Sing! – singing group

Weds 2pm, WOCC, details Emily 07969 522368

or email emformusic@outlook.com

Morris Dancing – Cry Havoc

Barbara Brett 249599 or bag@cryhavoc.org.uk

Mum and Baby Yoga for

babies from 6 wks to crawling

Mondays 10.30 at Dean Court CC, contact Jacqueline

Rice via https://yogawithjacqueline.co.uk

North Hinksey Preschool

and Childcare Clubs

Mon–Fri 7.45am –6.00 pm. 01865 794287 or email

nhps.manager1@gmail.com

N Hinksey Bellringers

Contact: Ray Rook 01865 241451

N Hinksey Conservation

Volunteers

Meets at weekends. Contact Voirrey Carr 07798743121

voirreyc@aol.com

N Hinksey, Friends of

Annual Cricket Match & Walk. Douglas Bond 791213.

N Hinksey Horticultural Soc

Contact: Ann Dykes Ox 251821 anndykes@hotmail.com

N Hinksey Parish Council

Colin Ryde, tel 861992, clerk@northhinksey-pc.gov.uk

N Hinksey Youth Club

Wednesdays at Arnold's Way pavilion, call Daz on

07791 212866 or see Facebook

Over Sixties Lunch Club

Every other Thursday. Seacourt Hall. Viv Smith 01865

241539 or Jackie Warner 01865 721386

Oxford Flood Alliance

R Thurston 01865 723663 or 07973 292035

Oxfd Flower Arranging Club

4th Thursday Cumnor. Dympna Walker: 01865 865259

Oxford Harmony Men's

Acappella singing group

Meets Wednesdays 7.45 pm at Seacourt Hall Contact

pro@oxfordharmony.co.uk

Oxford Otters

Swimming for people with disabilities. Sundays, twice

monthly. Contact: Alan Cusden 723420

Oxford Rugby Club

Boys and girls from 5, kevin.honner@ntlworld.com

Seniors, training etc jbrodley@chandlings.org.uk.

Oxford Sports Lawn Tennis

Club, N Hinksey

Family club: Melanie Riste 848658 or

melanie_riste@hotmail.com

Raleigh Park, Friends of

David Brown raleighpark@raleighpark.org.uk

Saturdads

Botley Bridges

Fun activities and trips for Dads and under 5’s

10 am–noon 1st Sat of month. Tel: 243955

Seacourt Hall management

committee

Contact: Michael Cockman 07766 317691

michael.cockman@gmail.com.

Shotokan Karate club

6+ WOCC twice weekly Martyn King 07836 646450

Weight Watchers

Thursdays 6pm at SS Peter & Paul Church Hall Banso

tel: 07779 253899 bansob@aol.com

West Oxford Bowls Club

Contact details on www.westoxfordbowlsclub.co.uk

West Oxford Taekwon Do

Club

Mon, Thurs 6.30-8pm, MA gym, contact Chris Hall

01865 570291 www.wotkd.co.uk

West Oxford U3A

(Uni of the 3rd Age) http://westoxfordu3a.org.uk/

West Way Day Centre

Mon & Fri 10–3pm, Field House, 07740 611971.

oxfordshirehub@royalvoluntaryservice.org.uk

Women’s Institute (Botley)

Liz Manson, 244175 email liz.manson@virginmedia.com